Wasps tough it out to fight through Payne barrier

Sunday 25 September 2005 20.55 EDT
First published on Sunday 25 September 2005 20.55 EDT

Wasps survived a fright as Worcester put them under huge pressure, but in the end the home side proved too good and claimed a bonus point as they maintained the pressure on Leicester at the top of the table yesterday. Reality was suspended in the first-half as the visitors took the game to their hosts in an effective if unglamorous manner. The Warriors dominated at the scrum where a Wales cap in the making Chris Horsman proved an irresistible force. Wasps were also on the receiving end in the lineout where Craig Gillies ruled the roost.

Wasps claimed the early lead when the hooker Raphael Ibanez was driven over from close range following a powerful Ayoola Erinle break. The try was converted by Mark van Gisbergen, his 28th successive successful shot at goal. However, Worcester responded superbly after forcing the first of a series of penalties out of the under-pressure Wasps scrum.

Gillies won a lineout easily after the fly-half Shane Drahm had put them into a corner and the skipper Pat Sanderson emerged from a pile of bodies with a try to his name and the Australian fly-half converted to draw level. Matt Dawson then threw a punch at the South African hooker Andre van Niekerk and got away without any retaliation from his victim.

Worcester took the lead after the centre Stuart Abbott tackled an opponent without the ball and Drahm hit the target. It was left to the referee Sean Davey to show the home side how to deal with Worcester's forward power in one of the most surreal of incidents.

Davey was stationary as the Worcester prop Tony Windo charged forward and crashed into the official. But as Davey stood firm, Windo bounced off him and crashed to the floor. Van Gisbergen then missed a shot at goal from almost dead in front of the posts to add to the incredulity.

The home side were fired up after half-time and it was not long before they took the lead. Abbott kicked ahead and in the ensuing chase, Tom Voyce won the race to the touchdown for Van Gisbergen to convert. The New Zealand born full-back added two penalties before the flanker Joe Worsley finished off the contest with a try midway through the second-half.

Worcester's hopes of a bonus point rose when the full-back Nicolas Le Roux stole away for a disputed try and Drahm converted, but at the death the player who had suffered most at Horsman's hands, the prop Tim Payne, drove over for yet another ugly try to seal that bonus point.